Word September 2000
by garnet eyes
Summary: Using Dictionary .com's September 2000 Word of the Day as basis for freehand thoughts and interactions of the Baron trio. Length and perspective both vary. Not intended to follow a single timeline. Kain, Rosa, and Cecil in various combinations.
1. Excoriate C

***Note**: 01 September 2000 edition is rated MA; see profile for other posting sites.

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 31 May 2011  
Summary: 02 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Golbez  
Author Notes: _excoriate_, transitive verb;  
1. To express strong disapproval of; to denounce.  
2. To tear or wear off the skin of.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Being a prisoner to his worst enemy was completely debilitating. Golbez was a cruel man, and he loathed Cecil just as much as the paladin returned the sentiment. But the young knight had been trained to handle the worst, and he resolutely refused to cry out no matter how many broken bones or horrible lashings he received. His back was flayed to ribbons, bloody and infected and in constant, terrible pain, but the most he allowed the larger man to hear was a quiet hissing as he breathed. Clearly, this incensed the warlock, but the bloodless prince had done away with his principles for the last time when he'd rationalized attacking Mysidia. If his captor killed him, so be it, but it would be an honorable death.


	2. Truckle K,R

***Note**: 03 September 2000 edition is rated MA; see profile for other posting sites.

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 31 May 2011  
Summary: 04 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: K  
Characters/Pairings: Golbez, Kain, Rosa  
Author Notes: _truckle_, intransitive verb;  
1. To yield or bend obsequiously to the will of another; to act in a subservient manner.  
noun;  
1. A small wheel or roller; a caster.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

It baffled Rosa, how obedient Kain was to this man that she had never seen before. _Kain_ being _obedient_. Those two words had never before existed in the same sentence. The dragoon followed orders, true, but he always questioned them, always wanted to know the purpose behind everything, and now he simply wasn't arguing, as if he didn't care to know. It was just _wrong_. Something wasn't right with him, but she didn't know what, nor could she gather any ideas, because he didn't speak to her. She could bet that this Golbez had told him not to, too.


	3. Nugatory R, imKxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 31 May 2011  
Summary: 05 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Rosa, implied Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _nugatory_, adjective;  
1. Trifling; insignificant; inconsequential.  
2. Having no force; inoperative; ineffectual.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Although Kain claimed Rosa to be the most important in his life, the white mage could only smile and shake her head at the thought. She held no place in his heart, no real power to overcome him. He liked her well enough, for they had been the best of friends since they'd been too young to walk, but that was all that they would ever be and Rosa knew that well. When it came to important things, it was so easy to see that Kain was lying to himself. No matter what she did, she could never move him in the same manner that Cecil could. When the younger knight asked Kain to jump, the automatic response was "how high?" When the bloodless prince asked his dragoon to come, Kain would be at his heels in an instant, before even asking what he was needed for. When Cecil wanted to talk, the older knight always made himself immediately available. Certainly, Kain _tried_ for Rosa, but he _did_ for Cecil.


	4. Variegated C,K

***Note**: 06 September 2000 edition is rated MA; see profile for other posting sites.

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 01 Jun 2011  
Summary: 07 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
Author Notes: _variegated_, adjective;  
1. Having marks or patches of different colors; as, "variegated leaves or flowers."  
2. Varied; distinguished or characterized by variety; diversified.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Although they both had scars, it was nigh impossible to see the pale marks on Cecil's milky white skin. On Kain, each slice was obvious. His skin was naturally darker, and the lighter bumps that denoted where he had sustained serious injuries stood out like miniature beacons. Cecil knew intimately where each scar came from on Kain's body, from the old ones that had come about during games in his youth to the wounds he'd sustained out in the field of battle. There was one, though, a new one, that bore a different significance to Cecil. A large, serrated gash piercing all the way through Kain's chest just below his right shoulder, one that had bled so profusely that it had been questioned whether or not the dragoon would survive.

That wound was different from the others, because that wound was one that _Cecil_ had given him. The paladin didn't even remember doing so, only that he had fallen asleep one night and awoken in the middle of a rocky cavern with his sword piercing clean through the blonde's chest; the only reason Kain was still alive at all was because he'd deflected the blade with his shield. Cecil couldn't afford to panic once he'd regained himself, and had started healing the blonde straight away and painstakingly removed the blade as cleanly as he could. But it was caught on bone and he'd had to wrench it, as much as that had made the younger knight flinch to do. Kain hadn't complained, although Cecil had chastised himself for his apparently infinite cruelty.

He still didn't know all of the finer details even years later, only that he'd been hypnotized in his sleep and he'd only come out of the trance at that moment. Kain had made it his personal mission to protect Cecil at night ever since, to keep him safe and well when the other dragoons only prowled the castle grounds searching for the obvious threats. It meant a lot to the paladin that his dearest friend would not scorn him for his susceptibility, and it gave Cecil new perspective in how a man as strong and honorable as Kain could possibly have his will overcome. His dragoon was always keeping watch over him – the king's own personal dragon protector – and Cecil was grateful for such loyalty.


	5. Convivial C,K, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 31 May 2011  
Summary: 08 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _convivial_, adjective;  
1. Fond of feasting, drinking, and good company; sociable.  
2. Merry; festive.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil laughed as he leaned against the older knight, more than a little drunk and completely uncaring of the fact. At his side, Kain was just the same, raising his mug to the sky in cheer as the performers pranced about the dining hall for the pleasure of the court. The paladin couldn't stand upright on his own anymore, but he hardly minded that as he continued to enjoy the late evening hours with his best friend at his side. The court was aglow with laughter and delight, mugs overflowing with the best mead in Baron and platters filled to excess with the best food that could be bought, imported from every kingdom, and Rosa was having a grand time gossiping with the other highborn women. It was a wonderful day all around, and Cecil was truly happy to have all that he held dear nearby. There really wasn't much of anything that could make what was left of the day turn out any better.

So, of course, his dragoon had to interrupt him when the paladin was in the middle of conversing with him by way of sealing their lips together, and the younger knight wasn't coordinated enough to reject the motion. The best he could manage was to snicker into the blonde's shoulder once his lips were released, murmuring that Kain would get them into trouble if he wasn't more subtle about his approach. They were in public, after all. Kain chuckled in response, his voice low and calming as he replied with a whisper in Cecil's ear that no one was paying any attention to them with the performers milling about. Cecil didn't argue, although he probably should have objected to being pulled into Kain's lap right then and there and kissed quite thoroughly besides.


	6. Posit C,K, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 04 Jun 2011  
Summary: 09 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _posit_, transitive verb;  
1. To assume as real or conceded.  
2. To propose as an explanation; to suggest.  
3. To dispose or set firmly or fixedly.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil couldn't feel his legs. He honestly, truly couldn't feel them at all. That was a bad thing, a terrible thing, he was sure, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. He was warm and comfortable in his bed in Baron, and his guard was snoring at his side, kind of half sprawled over the paladin's torso. It was bright out, so they'd both slept in, but the younger knight was still feeling a bit woozy. Cecil had also just this past evening been subjected to the most intense bout of love making of his entire life. He still felt a bit fluttery internally.

Kain eventually snorted by Cecil's ear and lifted his head, glancing around the room before noticing the man half pinned under him. The paladin smiled drowsily up at his guard, not at all surprised by the nearly cheeky grin he received in return.

"Not ready to start your day?"

Laughing quietly, the younger man shook his head but left the rest of his body in its sprawl on the bed, mostly under his dragoon.

"Mm, I think it will be a while yet."

Kain didn't argue, leaning his head in to kiss the side of the younger knight's throat, blonde stubble lightly scratching white skin with the motion, and causing a slight upturning quirk in blue lips.


	7. Expunge C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 04 Jun 2011  
Summary: 10 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Golbez, Kain  
Author Notes: _expunge_, transitive verb;  
1. To strike out, erase, or mark for deletion; to obliterate; as, "to expunge words, lines, or sentences."  
2. To wipe out or destroy; to annihilate.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

It was difficult for Kain to handle his lord. Golbez wanted Cecil dead, and Kain really just wanted him out of the way so he wouldn't continue interfering. But death was going too far. Cecil was too, well, _soft_, for such an end. Knight or not, the young prince was kind and gentle as a chocobo chick, and he was notoriously slow to draw his sword. Plus the bloodless prince hated killing with a passion, even when he was defending a town from marauders or performing any other equally noble deed. Hell, inside of Fabul's crystal chamber, Cecil had only used his sword to deflect and parry, never strike back at Kain. It just felt wrong to murder someone like that.

Before they next met in combat, Kain was diligently working to sway his lord from his decision to end Cecil's life. The dragoon could keep his prince out of the way, where he wouldn't interfere, and still have that sweet generosity in his life. All that he'd need after that would be Rosa's hand, and he would be content.


	8. Largess C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 04 Jun 2011  
Summary: 11 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: K  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
Author Notes: _largess_, noun;  
1. Generous giving (as of gifts or money), often accompanied by condescension.  
2. Gifts, money, or other valuables so given.  
3. Generosity; liberality.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain wasn't often impressed, but he found that Cecil was making him rethink a lot of things. The younger teen was an absolute princess about so many things that it wasn't even funny, and often got so picky about the quality of the silks used for his clothing that Kain had a nigh irresistible impulse to commission the most ridiculously over-the-top feminine gown that money could buy and stow _that_ in Cecil's wardrobe. He was still stronger than the little prince – maybe he'd force the younger teen to wear it, too. The only thing that stopped Kain dead in his tracks from doing something bordering on cruelty was the fact that he _knew_ that his best friend was a touch overly sensitive about his looks. Besides that, Cecil had these bizarre, spontaneous urges to throw whole new wardrobes at the blonde, full of all of the latest styles, and Kain had to admit that he looked _good_ in the new items. It was kind of weird for Cecil to buy him things so often, but the dragoon-in-training tended to think that the little prince would give him absolutely anything anyway. It was just Cecil's way.


	9. Woebegone C,K, KxC, pastCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 05 Jun 2011  
Summary: 12 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Ceodore, Kain, Kain x Cecil, past Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _woebegone_, adjective;  
1. Beset or overwhelmed with woe; immersed in grief or sorrow; woeful.  
2. Being in a sorry condition; dismal-looking; dilapidated; run-down.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

It was a long, painful road to recovery. Cecil honestly hadn't known what to do with himself when his wife had died, leaving him to rule Baron on his own while looking after their barely-one-year-to-his-name son. Too much reminded the paladin of his lost love, but it would be impossible to walk away when he had so many people depending on him. He still didn't know how he'd been getting through his days until Kain had returned. At least the blonde was someone to commiserate with; Cecil had, after all, been the third member of their little trio when growing up, and Kain had known Rosa since she'd been born. It was easier, in some ways, with someone just as depressed about her passing consistently around.

But Kain hadn't just sulked upon his return. He'd seen how the paladin was struggling and had immediately taken action, being his normal highly protective self. It started out as small things, things that Cecil didn't even notice, until one day less than a week before Ceodore's fourth birthday it suddenly struck the widowed king that the balance in his life had never been completely lost. It startled the paladin, realizing just how much of his own day-to-day existence depended on his dragoon being at his side. They really did everything together, from the mundane to the incredible. Cecil had never hesitated to garner the older blonde's opinion about courtly matters, just as he had done with his wife before she'd passed on; when it came to personal matters, the younger knight was completely open and honest as well, and he felt that Kain returned the gesture of trust in kind. That, more than anything, helped to ease a lot of the paladin's pain, because he _could_ break down in front of his best friend and know that he would never be judged for it.

About a month after Ceodore's fifth birthday, it occurred to Cecil that the mere thought of his dead wife no longer hurt him. It stung a little, to be sure, but Rosa wouldn't have wanted him to whither without her and the paladin had busied himself with his kingdom and his son. Truth be told, Cecil had only been a single parent for the two months it took to track down Kain and bid him to return to Baron; the dragoon had been a constant presence in his life ever since. If Ceodore misbehaved, Kain would punish him just as readily as if the boy was his own flesh and blood, and that care showed in how his son treated Kain as blood, too. The child had no recollection of his mother, only of Kain and Cecil, always the two of them praising his successes and helping him to understand his failures. The paladin didn't know when he'd started checking with the older man whether he felt a particular punishment suited the specific mischief that Ceodore had gotten himself into, but they always came to an agreement about how to handle the child before they did anything, and they both upheld that decision in full.

Not long after the widowed king had realized that he'd regained a proper family, albeit not entirely on purpose and it hadn't ever been totally lost to him, his son had ever so innocently posed a question to the pair of knights as they'd finished up their midday meal about why he'd never seen them kiss like all the other children said they'd seen _their_ parents doing. Cecil hadn't wanted intimacy since his wife's passing, hadn't even bothered thinking about it for how it felt like a betrayal to him. It flustered him that his own child seemed to be thinking about it; the boy was too young to have such thoughts! His stuttering and blushing assuredly didn't help, but Kain had come through for him yet again and distracted Ceodore with some entirely unrelated topic about weaponry and knighthood, guiding the youth off and out of the room to allow Cecil to recollect himself. Kain was always doing things like that, looking out for him and assisting him in any possible way. The dragoon did everything that Rosa had done, but he did it in his own way, and the paladin felt his heart lurch as he realized that little, life-changing detail. If Kain was lost to him, there would be nothing left to the younger man but despair. He really did love the older man, but it had always been a friendly affection. They were both men, after all. Still, in the darker recesses of his mind, Cecil had to question why it didn't actually _bother_ him that his son thought he had two fathers who were intimate with one another. The mere thought of another woman pressed the paladin the wrong way, for it felt as though he was trying to replace Rosa; any interest immediately died at that thought. Yet Kain was neutral territory, and the widowed king didn't understand why that would be.

He spent at least an hour every evening for the next three months at his wife's grave, silently begging her for an answer. She was the love of his life, lost to him not quite two years after they had first been wed, and she had always been his guiding light. Sometimes he fell asleep lying beside her grave marker, simply staring at the sky as he attempted to sort out his thoughts with reason. He never woke up at her grave, though, always finding himself in his night tunic in his own bed when he opened his eyes in the morning. That was Kain's doing, of course. It was always Kain who took care of him now, just like Rosa had for the brief time that they had shared together. The last evening he spent at his wife's grave was a calm one, and the sky was clear and beautiful as the sun ducked below the horizon. Cecil felt tranquil and warm by the time he left, at peace with himself for the first time since his wife's passing, and feeling a new resolve in his heart. He loved Rosa, and that would never change, but he wouldn't resist what he felt for Kain, whatever those feelings might turn into. Cecil would never have another wife, but he couldn't imagine Rosa scolding him over this. She had always wished for his happiness and Kain truly did make him happy. If something more came from that, so be it. They – all three – would be together again in the afterlife, and it wasn't as if Cecil would love Rosa any less.


	10. Milieu C

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 05 Jun 2011  
Summary: 13 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: K  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil  
Author Notes: _milieu_, noun;  
1. Environment; setting.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

When he saw the occasional pauper child wandering the streets, it was impulse that made him hand the child a gold coin. The little boy or girl always looked so amazed and grateful, and Cecil couldn't help but reflect and wonder if he would be a different person had he been found by someone else when he was still a babe. Well, _of course_ he would be different – if he had been taken in by a peasant than he'd never have been given the opportunity to become a full knight. But he wondered on occasion what else might differ. Would he still behave the same way, or would he not feel the need to give children whatever aid he could? Would he be one of the homeless, or would he be able to make ends meet? Would he be employed, and if so, what would he even do? It was disturbing to think about how much of him might very well be a product of how he had grown and not who he was inside.


	11. Accede C, CxR,KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 05 Jun 2011  
Summary: 14 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Cecil x Rosa/Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _accede_, intransitive verb;  
1. To agree or assent; to give in to a request or demand.  
2. To become a party to an agreement, treaty, convention, etc.  
3. To attain an office or rank; to enter upon the duties of an office.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain was more persistent then Cecil had credited him. Persistent and wily, and the paladin just couldn't find the strength to deny him any longer. He hadn't even known that his best friend had been courting him before the older man had left, but Kain certainly hadn't let the fact that Cecil was a married man deter him upon the dragoon's return to Baron. It was confusing and flattering at the same time, not to mention stressful because the paladin _was married_ and he would never betray his wife. But then, Cecil didn't even know when the older knight had gotten Rosa's blessing on the matter, yet he clearly had because the white mage had taken her husband aside and told him that he should do what felt right to him.

While the paladin did love his best friend very much, he had always considered it more of a friendly affection and, aside from that, it still felt like betrayal, even with her acceptance. But Kain didn't let a little thing like resistance deter him, either. Cecil was done being the only one who seemed to think it wrong; his best friend was gentle at heart, and surprisingly sweet when he chose to be. It wasn't as though two men could really become intimate, with parts that didn't combine and what not, so whatever Kain wanted wouldn't be a bother.


	12. Salient C,K,R, CxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 05 Jun 2011  
Summary: 15 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: K  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _salient_, adjective;  
1. Shooting out or up; projecting.  
2. Forcing itself on the attention; prominent; conspicuous; noticeable.  
3. Leaping; springing; jumping.  
noun;  
1. An outwardly projecting part of a fortification, trench system, or line of defense.  
2. A projecting angle or part.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

"Kain Highwind, you get back here!"

Cecil turned his head to the side, valiantly suppressing his laughter as his wife stormed after their guard. The dragoon had, of course, leapt to the rooftops and run off the moment that Rosa had come thundering his way. He wouldn't be back before the evening, no doubt. He'd still have to watch himself, of course. Rosa was an archer, after all, and there wasn't much cover on the rooftops, not like the parapets in the castle.


	13. Wunderkind C,K,R

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 05 Jun 2011  
Summary: 16 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa  
Author Notes: _wunderkind_, noun;  
1. A child prodigy.  
2. One who achieves great success or acclaim at an early age.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil flushed pink when Rosa gasped and brought her hands up to clasp them in front of her chest.

"That's amazing!"

Concentrating on the gash in Kain's arm, the young prince tried to ignore the praise and properly close the wound. The pale greenish-white glow of the healing spell shimmered over the bloody cut as two pairs of wide eyes watched.

"Who taught you magic, Cecil?"

With the gash mostly healed, and the blush at least a little bit faded, the younger boy glanced up and acknowledged the older one.

"Ah, I already knew this spell."

Brown eyes blinked as Cecil looked back to the larger blonde's arm and decided that it was properly healed, ending the spell and allowing the glow to fade. Kain reached his other hand up and prodded the area where he had hurt himself, but nothing remained beyond a bit of drying blood. Rosa brought her own small hands over to touch the no longer ragged skin, clearly impressed, and the young prince tried to shrug off the event.

"You were hurt. I couldn't just leave you to bleed out."

Two sets of eyes turned to him at once, and Cecil blushed and squirmed a bit under the sudden scrutiny.

"Have you told anyone about your ability?"

Immediately offended, the smaller boy crossed his arms over his chest.

"Why? So they can make fun of me for something else? No thank you."

Rosa frowned while Kain raised his hands in an assuaging gesture.

"Just curious. We won't tell anyone. Just promise you'll keep practicing."

Blue eyes quirked as the youngest of the trio turned toward the oldest.

"Kain..?"

Crossing his arms in mock offense, the blonde boy turned toward Rosa.

"What? It would be such a waste if he lost this skill."


	14. Obeisance C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 05 Jun 2011  
Summary: 17 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: K  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
Author Notes: _obeisance_, noun;  
1. An expression of deference or respect, such as a bow or curtsy.  
2. Deference, homage.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

It felt wholly wrong to Cecil that his best friend would be so formal with him. They'd known each other for so many years, and yet Kain acted as though he was merely a soldier in Baron's army instead of one of the most important people in the paladin's world. Cecil only tolerated it the first time that Kain bowed down to him, and only then because he'd been too startled to know how to react. After that, he'd made a point to intercept the blonde before he'd managed to bow properly, and the only way he could manage that was by invading the older knight's personal space but Kain would just have to get over that, now wouldn't he? Cecil didn't _want_ "just another solder;" he wanted his best friend.


	15. Felicitous K,R, CxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 05 Jun 2011  
Summary: 18 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Kain, Rosa, Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _felicitous_, adjective;  
1. Suitably applied or expressed; appropriate; apt.  
2. Happy; delightful; marked by good fortune.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Rosa had long known that she owed Kain her life. From as far back as when she was too young to walk, Kain had been looking out for her. More than once in her childhood she would have died had he not stopped her from taking a tumble or blocked her from getting struck or dived into the water after her to rescue her from drowning. She wasn't clumsy, but she got into perilous situations often in her youth, and that hadn't really changed once she'd grown. Just, now she was a white mage and she was often sent off to battle, so it wasn't a possibility of death anymore, it was a _threat_. He kept her safe even when she deliberately put her life on the line, her guardian by word and deed. If he acted like any more of an older brother to her, she would think that they really were related by blood. It wasn't a bad thought, really. Kain was such a sweet man underneath the rough persona. It would be fitting of him to find a lovely woman to marry, one who could make him feel as special as Rosa knew he was, one who made him feel like how Cecil made her feel. Of course, this woman would have to pass the "little sister's" judgment before Rosa would let the woman anywhere near one of the most precious people in her life.


	16. Grandee C,K, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 05 Jun 2011  
Summary: 19 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: M  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _grandee_, noun;  
1. A man of elevated rank or station.  
2. In Spain or Portugal, a nobleman of the first rank.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

"Where, pray tell, did you learn how to do _that_?"

Chuckling, Kain leaned down and pressed a kiss to panting blue lips. Below him, Cecil was splayed out in a naked sprawl, sweaty and clearly satisfied, and completely incapable of doing anything more than attempting to catch his breath.

"You are the only man alive who doesn't make use of his title, you know."

Emerald eyes blinked twice before pale brows quirked and the dragoon almost felt a groan lodge in his throat before he swallowed it down. Cecil couldn't _possibly_ be so naive.

"Make use of my title how?"

He _couldn't_-

"I mean, I try not to be rude to the merchants, but I see no reason why I should have to spend more than anyone else for the exact same thing. I didn't think haggling was really an abuse, though. I've seen others do it. And I don't see what that has to do with what we just did."

He _could_. Kain almost didn't want to believe it, that Cecil didn't even realize that highborn and royal men had the privilege of bedding court ladies, but he could think of no instance where the younger man would even have been exposed to the more lustful side of the court. The dragoon had only thought that he'd been the first _man_ to share Cecil's bed, but he was beginning to think that he might be the first _person_.

"Cecil..."

Suddenly, emerald eyes brightened as if struck by a clever thought. The bloodless prince was still coming down from his high, however, and hadn't budged beyond the movement of his lips.

"Oh, is this another one of those 'highborn' things? I never understood how you know all of that without ever asking."

A lot of Cecil's oddities were explained away by his being a lowborn and a peasant by birth, and so he didn't have the proper pedigree for some things. Now it was definitely a convenient method of escape, because Kain didn't even really have to think for very long to know that he didn't want to share this little nugget of golden truth with anyone.

"Highborn, yes. It's... a privilege."

The younger man nodded, clearly accepting such an answer without qualm. It explained enough, Kain was willing to bet, in Cecil's mind.

"Ah, so you were simply born with such skills. Well... hopefully I wasn't too terrible. I'll practice-"

"That's not necessary."

Emerald eyes blinked up at him, completely innocent, and Kain wished for a second that the bloodless prince wasn't so easy to form such deep bonds with. Just the _thought_ of another taking Kain's position made him furious.

"..It isn't?"

The blonde would be reduced to violence, he knew, if anyone else was allowed to touch his prince. Of course Cecil wasn't allowed to let another into his bed for _practice_.

"No."

Pale brows furrowed briefly before smoothing out, and the younger man sorted out his thoughts as he spoke, his tone uncertain.

"Oh. So... you wouldn't... mind doing that again?"

Being born a Highwind was officially _the best_ thing that had ever happened to Kain.


	17. Disconsolate C,R, CxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 11 Jun 2011  
Summary: 20 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: K  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Ceodore, Rosa, Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _disconsolate_, adjective;  
1. Being beyond consolation; deeply dejected and dispirited; hopelessly sad; filled with grief.  
2. Inspiring dejection; saddening; cheerless.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

It surprised Cecil, how distraught his wife was after their son had married. Ceodore was old enough to start his own family, and his wife was a charming, strong woman. The paladin had no fear that she would be able to hold her own, no matter what life launched toward her, and that was a good thing because his son could be thick. Kain had laughed when Cecil had made that particular point, shaking his head and stating that if the younger knight believed that then surely it was true. The dragoon was making fun of him again, but he always did so Cecil didn't really care.

But Rosa hated the fact that Ceodore was grown and married now. She loved his wife, and yet she seemed unable to let go. Cecil really didn't understand it. Wasn't it a good thing that their son was taking care of himself now? He was old enough to not need them to direct him, capable of making his own decisions and standing up for himself. Cecil was honestly proud of his son. It was just Rosa who baffled him.


	18. Malinger C,R, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 11 Jun 2011  
Summary: 21 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Rosa, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _malinger_, intransitive verb;  
1. To feign or exaggerate illness or inability in order to avoid duty or work.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

"Come on, now, up with you."

Rosa folded her arms over her breast and eyed the paladin pouting in his bed. Honestly, that man couldn't scowl threateningly if his life depended on it; he was a sweetheart through and through, and she adored him to no end for that. But that didn't excuse the fact that he was Baron's king and he had responsibilities.

"I can't."

A blonde brow rose in disbelief as blue eyes slowly dragged down the length of Cecil's covered body where he lied in the midst of the mussed sheets. Nothing seemed wrong, and the paladin's face did not betray any illness. She had never thought that the young king would shirk his responsibilities. There had to be some reason for his resistance; she simply needed to uncover the issue so that she might cure it. After all, she _was_ Baron's premiere white mage.

"Did you catch a chill?"

Emerald eyes blinked once before the paladin shook his head gently.

"No."

There were many other possibilities, however, and Rosa was quick to continue.

"Well, are you feeling dizzy?"

"No."

"Woozy?"

"No."

"Do you have a headache?"

"No."

"Stomachache?"

"No."

Perhaps his issue wasn't physical, but emotional, then. Cecil was surprisingly complicated, regardless of how simple he could be.

"Do you feel listless?"

"No."

"Depressed about anything?"

"No."

"Any unspecified anxieties?"

"No."

He was being unreasonably obtuse. If he wouldn't _tell her_ what was wrong, she couldn't heal him. Clearly, there was no problem and he was throwing some kind of tantrum against the courts.

"Cecil Harvey, you get up this instant. You have a kingdom to take care of, and I won't have you turn into a wastrel."

His response sounded surprisingly exasperated, but he continued to stubbornly offer no elaboration.

"I _can't_."

Since he chose to be obtuse, Rosa would have to be blunt and direct. She knew very well how to handle him, having grown up with the man.

"And what is stopping you?"

Kain chose that moment to wander in from the adjoining bathing room, toweling off his hair. Rosa glanced briefly at him in acknowledgement of his short greeting, not at all surprised that he'd show up in Cecil's chambers at a ridiculously early hour and steal his bath. She had to look again, however, because she had barely given him any notice at first, but something about him seemed off. The second glance had her take note of his thin trousers, the kind that he wore when he would be in his full armor for the day, and for the first time in her adult life Rosa happened to have an unobstructed view of the bulge in the front. Kain was rather more gifted than expected. But now was not the time to consider such things.

She turned back toward the paladin quickly, intent to route him from his laziness, and blinked at the sight of his flushed face as his emerald gaze lingered on the dragoon. Then Cecil shifted his hips and winced, and it suddenly occurred to Rosa that she recalled seeing Kain heading toward the younger knight's chambers last evening for whatever reason, but she had never seen or heard him leave.

"...Oh. Oh my."

She hadn't realized that Cecil held such desires. A quick glance back toward Kain's groin, and the white mage thought that she probably wouldn't be able to walk the following day either. Perhaps there could be an allowance today, but such an excuse wouldn't hold up if used often.


	19. Credulous K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 11 Jun 2011  
Summary: 22 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: K  
Characters/Pairings: Ceodore, Kain  
Author Notes: _credulous_, adjective;  
1. Ready or inclined to believe on slight or uncertain evidence.  
2. Based on or proceeding from a disposition to believe too readily.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain was about at his wits' end, chasing after this imbecile. Cecil was too trusting, but he still had at least an inkling of common sense when it came to bizarre things. The paladin's son, however, was _ridiculous_. Did the boy even realize what a fool he was being? Probably not. Kain wouldn't argue it, assured as he was that to argue would be unto repeatedly banging his head against a stone, but he was coming close to knocking the boy out and dragging him back to the castle. It was a combination of luck, omission of his own titles, and possibly blind stupidity that allowed him to become party to Ceodore's antics. Dealing with the boy on his own did explain some of the wording and phrases in Cecil's monthly letters to him. Clearly the paladin was aware of his son's _eccentricities_. Or perhaps Kain was simply growing jaded as the years went on.

Cecil owed him a comfortable bed after this nonsense.


	20. Tryst C, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 11 Jun 2011  
Summary: 23 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _tryst_, noun;  
1. An appointment (as between lovers) to meet; also, an appointed place or time of meeting.  
2. To mutually agree to meet at a certain place; to keep a tryst.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

It was considered a sin, loving another man. Men had been ostracized, ridiculed, exiled, and worse when found out. That was why they had to be so careful. It didn't feel right, having to sneak around so much, but it couldn't be helped. Cecil still thought it was wrong, how people were so willing to condemn others for the joy in their lives. What did it matter if a man loved another? No one else was affected. Should a man lie with a thousand women, no one bothered to take notice. And yet it suddenly became the world's business when that same man lied with a single man. Such standards were vulgar and disgusting, and Cecil was ashamed of how this world that he lived in worked. He couldn't help how he adored his guardian, couldn't help that he felt natural and complete with the dragoon, and he hated having to pretend otherwise. Cecil was never more comfortable than when he was with Kain, and he knew that the older knight felt the same. They simply understood one another. Intimacy happened unintentionally as often as on purpose; what was the point of fighting against something that they both wanted? It was depressing and unfortunate that stolen moments were all that they could get.


	21. Paragon R

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 11 Jun 2011  
Summary: 24 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: K  
Characters/Pairings: Rosa  
Author Notes: _paragon_, noun;  
1. A model of excellence or perfection.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Rosa was flattered that the younger generation looked up to her as the standard they wished to emulate. It was a heavy burden, however, to be so acutely aware of just how many would be discouraged should she fail. The white mage couldn't bring herself to let the young women down who so wished to become the best that they could be, for that was really all that the queen could ask of any girl. She herself had wished to be _her_ best, and it had made her a better person. If her strength and courage could call out to others, than she would be stronger than ever. After all, Rosa would not live forever, and she would rather leave a lasting mark on the world than a brief light.


	22. Inscrutable C,K, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 14 Jun 2011  
Summary: 25 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rydia, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _inscrutable_, adjective;  
1. Difficult to fathom or understand; difficult to be explained or accounted for satisfactorily; obscure; incomprehensible; impenetrable.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Rydia had never understood Cecil. He was gentle to a fault, and had acted in her mother's stead when he had first taken her with him, keeping her well fed and rested. He was so humble that she honestly hadn't known that he was a prince until long after she had returned from the Feymarch, and only then it was because she'd accidentally overheard the words from passing soldiers when the rather odd collection of warriors had stopped briefly in Baron to rest and gather supplies. He was also persistent, and he worked hard to achieve his goals, never backing down just because of the odds. He was, to be frank, the sweetest, kindest man in the world who still bore a strong spine. Prince Edward had taken some encouragement, but Cecil had already come into her life with the strength to stand again no matter how often he fell.

Which was good, because he was prone to falling. Or, more appropriately, he was prone to being shoved down. Yet he always brushed himself off and doggedly continued on his path, never faltering in any convictions. Not even his belief that the dragoon was a good man. Rydia still had her doubts about the blonde man, even now. Her first introduction to him, he'd had such an apathetic view of how others suffered. Cecil had explained that Kain simply didn't allow his grief to show, because he could not allow himself weaknesses. Although the summoner had thought the excuse was pathetic when she'd first heard it, she had grown to feel sad for the blonde as she'd later spent time in the Feymarch. How hard must it be, never showing your true feelings?

Of course, her second introduction had been no better than her first. The dragoon had tried to kill Cecil, had stolen Fabul's crystal, and had followed after the man who stole Rosa from them. He'd been aggressive and angry, even though his voice was level. She'd been petrified of him, of how callous he could be toward one who so obviously trusted and adored him. Yet Cecil continued to believe in the blonde knight. How he could still have faith, she hadn't known back then. She still didn't really know now, not if she was honest with herself. The dragoon might be on their side for now, but he was still worryingly aggressive.

When she'd asked the white mage, Rosa had merely shook her head and claimed that such was Kain's way, especially with Cecil. That didn't seem right to the summoner, but she didn't know why. It didn't make sense why the paladin would put up with such selfish behavior. It certainly didn't occur to Rydia to think any better of the older knight when she had seen his stance as he'd backed Cecil into a stone outcropping during a short rest on their journey. The blonde was trying to intimidate Cecil, and while Rydia did not believe that it would work, she was getting sick of seeing so much abuse heaped upon her de facto father.

A spell cast to place a little ice patch on the ground, just to make him falter, and the dragoon slipped without seeing it. The pleasure she felt at just a little bit of comeuppance was ground up almost instantly, for the blonde had faltered forward and clashed with the paladin, and their lips had collided purely by accident. Yet Kain had carried the meshing of their mouths to the end, as if he'd meant to do it, forcing himself on the younger knight with tenacity. Rydia immediately charged a lightning spell, only to allow it to dissipate as Cecil's arms threaded over the dragoon's shoulders, carefully avoiding the sharp detailing in the pauldrons.

Was that, perhaps, the reason why Cecil trusted the blonde so much? Did intimacy really make an otherwise intelligent man stupid? Or perhaps there was something deeper, something that Rydia couldn't see or feel, that connected them. She really didn't understand.


	23. Soporific R, KxCxR,KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 11 Jun 2011  
Summary: 26 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Rosa, Kain x Cecil x Rosa/Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _soporific_, adjective;  
1. Causing sleep; tending to cause sleep.  
2. Of, relating to, or characterized by sleepiness or lethargy.  
noun;  
1. A medicine, drug, plant, or other agent that has the quality of inducing sleep; a narcotic.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Rosa never regretted how she'd snapped at her husband and her lover one night after a tremendously long day, when all she'd wanted was sleep. Kain was always randy and Cecil was too needy for her state at that time. Although the two knights did love one another deeply, Rosa was more or less their medium for intimacy. They had never approached one another alone, no matter how it seemed to her that they would like to join together without her immediate presence between them. She didn't mind the thought, since she often shared intimate moments with one when the other was busy. In her thoughts that evening, she had sealed the idea that it would be good for them to experiment a bit without her, and she _was_ tired.

The sounds that had lulled her to sleep ever since were heavy pants, breathy gasps, guttural groans, half strangled moans, the soft swish of sheets, the grind of wood against thickly carpeted stone, and numerous other arduous noises. Kain never went to sleep without releasing at least once, and Cecil would never turn down physical intimacy. It was a blessing that they could occupy one another so well, all things considered. Rosa could join them when she felt like it, and not have to trouble herself when she didn't. And she could get as much sleep as she liked, because they drove each other into exhaustion and never woke up at a decent hour anymore.


	24. Congeries C

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 14 Jun 2011  
Summary: 27 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: K  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil  
Author Notes: _congeries_, noun;  
1. A collection; an aggregation.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

It was, all told, surprising how far they had come. Cecil knew he could lead soldiers in war, but he had civilians, the infirm, and children following him into battle. They all held the desire to protect their homes and loved ones, and that was enough to be worth all sacrifices and push them through to the point they had now reached. It was impressive, what a coalition of apprentice mages, orphans, fathers, cowards, knights, princes, and everything in between could accomplish. It was humbling to see just how far the human will could take them, how much of an impact that they could have on the world. Cecil refused to allow himself to consider any possibility of failure now that they were so close to Zemus, refused to waste the strength of so many who had opened this path. Those who were left to do so would defeat the pox on their world because that was the only option they had. What followed after that, he didn't know, but he could wait until victory to find out.


	25. Didactic C

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 11 Jun 2011  
Summary: 28 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: K  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Ceodore  
Author Notes: _didactic_, adjective;  
1. Fitted or intended to teach; conveying instruction; instructive; teaching some moral lesson.  
2. Inclined to teach or moralize excessively; moralistic.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil sighed and shook his head as his son spoke endlessly about what he'd learned this day. Ceodore's tutors were top quality, but they had the unfortunate tendency to try to align his beliefs with their own. Cecil himself hardly enjoyed war, but sometimes brute force was necessary. Diplomacy was always the first choice, but, when backed into a corner, a man must know how to stand up for himself. It was all well and good that the tutors believed that any problem could be talked out, but such an ideal did not work in practice. Still, it was good for Ceodore to hold the belief that man should not strike another without dire reasons.


	26. Officious C,K, CxR,KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 17 Jun 2011  
Summary: 29 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: M  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Ceodore, Kain, Cecil x Rosa/Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _officious_, adjective;  
1. Marked by excessive eagerness in offering services or advice where they are neither requested nor needed; meddlesome.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

He loved his son with all of his heart, and he would do anything for the boy, but Cecil swore that he would kill Ceodore if the brat ruined his evening _one more time_. The half-blood lunarian king had spent the vast majority of his life a celibate man, much to his own displeasure, but he would not force himself upon his wife if she was unwilling, and she was often unwilling for stretches of multiple months at a time. When Kain had returned, Cecil was ecstatic to see his old friend; although he had clearly been through hardships, the dragoon had aged exceptionally well. However, within a matter of days, the paladin became aware of a heretofore unrealized danger – he was attracted to his best friend. Cecil had never in all of his years betrayed his wife, no matter how he wished for intimacy. For all that he had held firm thus far, though, the king had become terribly weak from the first moment that Kain showed signs of interest.

Cecil knew he wanted desperately to give in, but he couldn't be so horrible to his wife, couldn't hide something so vast from her. Rosa was... not pleased, per se, but she was accepting when he approached her. Clearly she was aware of his own nature and desire for physical involvement, and the white mage was kind enough to return with a response to his confession within days. As long as it was Kain and Kain alone, Cecil was allowed to share intimacy outside of his marriage. Given his wife's blessing, the paladin had been perfectly unresisting the next opportunity he'd had to interact with his dragoon. It seemed that Kain may have been suffering from the same struggle against celibacy, because they'd pawed at one another as though they were both dogs in heat, and it was a mixed blessing that they'd been armored at the time. They had been outside under a tree during a walk when the simmering desire bubbled up into an uncontrollable eruption of lust, and both of them fumbled desperately to remove what armor was within reach, not even aware of the fact that they were outside in the midst of their surging passions; there was no doubt, upon reflecting on the moment, that they would have given completely in right then and there had they been left alone any longer. However, Ceodore had spotted them in the distance and called to them, saving them both the embarrassment of being a spectacle.

The very next day, Cecil had deliberately not worn his armor, however, and his newly reinstated guard had taken a keen interest in that fact for the entirety of the day. They'd had two false starts in the throne room, and both times Ceodore hadn't bothered to knock or pause to be announced before he'd barged in. The second time, Kain had already tugged Cecil's pants halfway down his thighs and the paladin's only saving grace was the fact that the armored dragoon was between his body on the throne and any visitors that came to call. Fortunately, Ceodore hadn't managed to see enough at any point to realize what was happening, if the boy's rather vapid belief in the utter bullocks that Kain had fed him in the name of misdirection was anything to go by.

A week and a half later, and a good fifty more blundered opportunities down, Cecil had dutifully waited until the middle of the night, locked his chamber door, and fallen into passion with his dragoon on the plush royal bed when there was no one else awake to possibly interfere. After several blissful minutes of wholeheartedly attempting to swallow his blonde guard's tongue while caressing the man's angular body and grinding against his pelvis, emerald eyes caught sight of a flask of oil in Kain's hands. Cecil could barely remember to breathe as slick fingers teased against him, massaging into his skin intermittently from his neck down to his thighs. He readily returned the gesture in kind, wanting his dragoon to enjoy himself just as much. And then it so happened that Cecil heard his son's voice. For a few minutes he pretended that he hadn't heard, and since Kain did not pause it was safe to assume that he _hadn't_ heard, so the paladin let the moment carry him. His dragoon's long fingers were kneading into his nether mouth by the time there was a knock at the chamber door, and Cecil whimpered as he heard his son call his name in question. If the boy wasn't dying, then Cecil was half certain that he'd make it happen before the night was out.


	27. Flippant C,K, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 17 Jun 2011  
Summary: 30 September 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _flippant_, adjective;  
1. Lacking proper seriousness or respect; showing inappropriate levity; pert.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain had to sequester his grin before anyone noticed it, lest he allow others the chance to piece together the same knowledge he bore. He knew, and had always known, that his best friend was a bit queer in the head. Odd things made sense to the younger teen, things that no one else would have ever thought of, but the bloodless prince was adamant about his understanding and that was enough for Kain. Cecil didn't have to make sense to him all of the time; his peculiarities were part of the reason that he was so clever in combat. It was, however, decidedly amusing when the younger knight would shrug off the court ladies' advances so readily. The bloodless prince was only half aware of the fact that he was being propositioned, but he always declined with such a radiant smile, as though the only correct response was to incline his head and change the topic.

The illegitimate princes were not precisely pleased by their adopted sibling's "supposed" disinterest in the court ladies, believing him to be drumming up more attention upon himself. After all, Cecil _obviously_ didn't mean it when he skirted around the subject as though he hadn't noticed any of the signs; the women were beautiful and he was _clearly_ being a tomcat. Kain would have been jealous of his best friend's ability to instantly attract so many lovely ladies, but for the fact that the blonde knew that Cecil himself was not interested. Many of said women felt comfortable around the bloodless prince because he simply treated them well, and flirted solely because he always took it in good humor and had never been crude. Cecil wasn't exactly suave when he _liked_ someone, and Kain knew that little tidbit well.

Still, the dragoon had a difficult time not laughing _now_ at the blatant glares several of the nearby illegitimate princes were sending toward their adopted brother as he laughed and deftly evaded yet another attempt to pique his interest. It was surprising, just how charming Cecil could be when he didn't intend to charm. Kain recalled very well just how dark the blush and how thick the stuttering was not so long ago, but that was a private moment and no one else needed to know about it.


End file.
